This is a wonderful moment in the history of our nation. We have won our first Gold Medal at a summer Olympic Games and every Fijian is rejoicing at home and around the world.

We all convey our warmest congratulations to our World Champion Rugby Sevens team on this magnificent achievement. We have all witnessed how much effort you have put into this campaign. And we salute you both for your victory and for being wonderful ambassadors for Fiji.

I am leaving for Rio De Janeiro with the hopes and prayers of every Fijian for our best Olympic Games ever. Our athletes have never been better prepared. And in the case of our men's Rugby Sevens team, they are already World Champions. So Fiji has the best chance it has ever had to bring back our first gold medal in the summer Olympics. I know that every Fijian will be with me in spirit in Rio as I provide the nation’s collective encouragement to the wonderful men and women who are representing us before the world.

The Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, presented a cheque for US$250,000 to the President-elect of the UN General Assembly, Fiji's Ambassador Peter Thomson, to assist with costs of running the Office of the President of the General Assembly's 71st Session.